Real-time data enhances incident response
Guest blog by David Rowan, CEO at Archangel Cloud
IoT devices are integral to a wide variety of sectors in our increasingly interconnected world.
Whether it’s manufacturing, healthcare or home automation, the old approach involving logs is fast being usurped by IoT. Data logs, retrospective in nature and often compiled after an incident happens, have traditionally been used to monitor and diagnose incidents but reliance on this approach no longer ‘fits the bill’ when it comes to delivering an effective incident response. Delays can be critical and, in some instances, life threatening.
The need for immediate threat detection cannot be underestimated. Real-time IoT data ensures instant visibility as to the state of devices and network activity and enables security teams to identify anomalies or malicious activity as it happens.
Logs can be valuable but often limited in scope to specific events or errors. Real-time IoT data, on the other hand, delivers a continuous stream of sensor readings, device metrics and environmental data to provide a clear and comprehensive context. The richness of this information allows incident responders to understand the severity and potential impact more accurately. This leads to more informed decision-making.
Reactive methods are no longer good enough in a landscape where threats are evolving rapidly. Real-time data, even for subtle and nuanced anomalies, empowers automated systems to trigger immediate actions.
Ultimately, this approach reduces operational downtime. With IoT devices often controlling critical infrastructure, any delays in response to incidents can lead to costly downtime or safety hazards. Constant 24/7 visibility allows for swift action and the maintenance of operational continuity and safety.
Traditional logs are often incomplete, delayed or can be tampered with and frequently provide only a partial snapshot of the incident. Real-time streams of IoT data are harder to manipulate and offer a more resilient foundation for response, especially in environments where security and uptime are priorities.
As IoT systems become more complex and widespread, incident response strategies are adapting in turn. Relying solely on logs is no longer effective. Immediate, contextual and actionable insights are necessary to detect, understand and mitigate threats effectively.
Integrating real-time data streams into incident response processes is essential for safeguarding modern digital and physical assets.
Archangel remains at the cutting edge of these technologies, underpinned by IoT sensors and a platform that aggregates data in one place. This minimises the confusion of multiple data streams feeding into different ‘silos’.
Clarity is vital and a new preventive future and culture is coming down the track.
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Authors
David Rowan
CEO, Archangel Cloud
